Insulation is one of the easiest ways to save on your heating and cooling costs. Depending on where you place it, it also cuts back on noise.  Here just a few of the ways you can accomplish both:

Outlets & Switches

Foam padding under an outlet cover greatly reduces heat loss. Outlets and switches are a significant source of energy loss and for just pennies you can fix the problem.

Garage Door

Adding a layer of insulation to the back of the garage door will keep your garage warmer in the winter, and your home along with it. The added layer of insulation also minimizes noise.

Doors and Windows

Adding weather stripping and caulk to all your windows and doors keep drafts out and warm air in. If you already have weather stripping in place, be sure to check it yearly as it can crack or detach over time.

Attics

Insulation can breakdown over time or perhaps wasn’t installed properly in the first place.  Check your attic and crawl spaces to be sure there is enough insulation to prevent warm air from sailing through the attic and right outdoors.  The right amount is 6” deep with no gaps anywhere.  Keeping your attic well insulated also helps prevent ice dams from forming on the roof.

Ducts and Pipes

Insulating any air ducts and pipes located in unheated spaces can help minimize energy loss over time. Adding a layer around pipes, especially those on exterior walls, not only prevents heat loss but can prevent those pipes from freezing, cracking, and bursting while winter batters away outdoors.

Here’s another way to keep your energy costs to a bare minimum this winter:  contact Absolute Air to request our heating system cleaning and inspection service.  A well-maintained system is more likely to operate at peak efficiency while reducing repair frequency and costs.

Let’s say you’re a teacher and report cards are due but, in this case, you’re the only pupil and you’re being graded on only one task:  creating order out of chaos. With that in mind, what grade would you enter in the computer on your own report card?  If it’s one you wouldn’t be proud of, you’re a candidate for the following 5 home organizing tips.

Trust us:  they work.

Bins: Storage bins come in many different sizes and colors. Most are stackable, which allows you to make the most of an unused space. Use the height of a shelf and build up! Storage bins can be used to store spices and keep them separated, or to make packets of soup, dip mix, or hot cocoa more easily accessible.

Hanging shoe bag: Utilizing the back of a door – any door! – is a great way to organize and make use of previously unutilized space.  Other than help you organize shoes, hanging shoe bags can serve virtually any other purpose you have in mind.  How about as a space to house snacks for your kids, each child with their own pouch?  Or how about better organizing and storing cleaning supplies, a doll collection, school supplies, or scarves and gloves!  So many possibilities.

Lazy Susans: A Lazy Susan not only helps you organize under-cabinet items, but help you get to the stuff in back a lot quicker than might otherwise be possible.  So, the only question is, do you have enough of them for things like spices, baking supplies, cooking oils, and more.

Stepped shelving:  Stepped shelving is another convenient way to more easily reach items in the back spaces on pantry, closet and even cabinet shelves.  That way you can turn one shelf into two or more and organize the contents by how frequently you use them and by height.  Just one more way to save you time digging through the same stuff you just dug through yesterday.

Peg Boards: A peg board is a great addition to any pantry.  With a few S hooks on the board, you can hang kitchen utensils and cookware and, in the process, gain more drawer or shelf space. Colorful clothes pins can be affixed to the board and hold opened bags of snacks, pasta, or beans. You also can add shelves to a peg board for such items such as flour, sugar, and tea canisters.

If you get ambitious in creating more and better ways to organize your household, just be sure not to cover up your heating and cooling vents with new shelving or storage items.  That’s because part of the effectiveness of your home comfort systems depends on unrestricted air flow.

If you have any questions at all before undertaking your next home improvement project about how it might impact your heating and cooling systems, just give us a call:  Absolute Air.  Your complete home heating and cooling resource.

Once one family member starts exhibiting the symptoms of a fall/winter cold or flu, it often doesn’t take long before you have your own mini-epidemic on your hands. But it doesn’t have to be that way, especially when you follow these five simple tips for keeping those colds and flus at bay.

Disinfecting: A quick wipe on high-touch areas such as door knobs, light switches, faucets, remotes, and railings will minimize the spread of germs that live on surfaces. The stomach flu can live on hard surfaces for months! You can use vinegar to disinfect surfaces, too, but that may only kill 80-90% of viruses and mold. Bleach, on the other hand, kills 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and mold.

Cover a cough/sneeze: Covering a sneeze or a cough not only prevents germs from going into the air, but can keep hands clean when done properly. Teach kids to cough into their elbow instead of into their hands. This simple change keeps germs off of hands, and away from other people.

Handwashing: While some germs can survive on hard surfaces, others are spread more quickly through direct contact, like shaking hands or passing something to a friend. The best way to combat this is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water. Alcohol based sanitizers are great when you aren’t by a sink, but can create a sticky build up over time where germs can hang out. Even when using a hand sanitizer, hands still need to be washed with soap and water throughout the day.

Area rugs: If your family is at high risk for allergies, colds and flus, you would be helping your own cause by switching from wall-to-wall carpeting to area rugs or bare floors.  These are much easier to clean, unlike wall-to-wall carpeting which grabs and releases moisture, germs, mold, and allergens every time someone walks on it. Area rugs can be picked up from the floor and washed weekly.

HEPA air filter: Although a sneeze is full of gross droplets you can see, they also produce droplets you can’t see. These droplets can stay in the air and travel around your home, but an air purifier can remove them and keep your air clean.

Why not call today and ask to speak with one of our indoor air quality specialists.  These are trained professionals who can help clean up the air in your home not just for cold and flu season, but all year long.

Eating healthy – or at least healthier – is a lot easier in the summer with all the fresh produce coming available, including perhaps from your own backyard.  But come late fall and winter, it’s a whole different ball of cheese, especially when you factor in the holiday meals, parties, shorter daylight hours, and less time spent in motion.

Want to keep your weight in check this winter and feel better about yourself when it’s time, once again, to take your bathing suit out of winter storage?  Here are some winter eating tips sure to help you succeed:

Seasonal produce: Fresh produce disappear come fall, but you do have to look a little harder for it.  Where? Nowadays, more and more local farmers are growing such winter goodies as lettuces, greens, spinach, chard, radishes, okra and greenhouse tomatoes.    Also, dark green leafy veggies are very cold tolerant and can be grown all year. Squashes and pumpkins are delicious, filling, and have nutrient rich carbs that help you feel less hungry between meals.

Fight the colds and flu: Certain supplements are effective at keeping colds and flus away. Increasing your vitamin C intake is easy if you’re a fan citrus fruits and juices. But it’s also available in pill form.  And then there’s Zinc which has been shown to boost the immune system.  It can be taken as a vitamin or in your diet with lots of nuts, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate. Lastly, keep eating that yogurt. Probiotics have been found to combat the flu.

Start with a good breakfast: Eating a hearty breakfast of oatmeal, dried fruits, or warm soup, is a great way to start the day. Get the majority of your calories in while you are awake and active. Burn off the calories throughout the day, and eat a lighter dinner as you start to wind down leading up to bed time.

Holiday eating: Instead of having to muster up super human will power, give yourself options. Drink lots of water, and eat a healthy snack before you go to a party so you’re less likely to over-indulge. When you do go through the buffet line, fill your plate with mostly fruit and veggies. How about your favorite holiday treats – should you abstain?  Not at all.  Just limit the portion size and avoid going back for seconds. You can also pick one or two holiday parties where you will indulge, and eat lightly for the others so you don’t feel deprived.

What did we just learn? Among other things, eating healthy can feel like hard work if you’re not already in the habit.  And that’s the trick:  to succeed, practice, practice, and practice some more until it becomes a habit.

Here at Absolute Air, we’re absolutely rooting for you.

Do you feel like your home leaves a bit to be desired in the character department? Maybe you just purchased a newly constructed home with builder-grade finishes. Or perhaps your home was built during a time not known for charm or architectural details. Luckily, no matter how plain-Jane or cookie-cutter you your think yours might be, you can transform your home into high style with some low cost upgrades.

1. Add textural interest to any interior space with wainscoting. Available in a variety of styles, inexpensive, and fairly simple to install, wainscoting can add a classic, rustic, or eclectic element to any room.

2. Use wood beams to add an earthy element to a room. Used in both traditional and modern design, wood beams can be used to accent a ceiling, fireplace, or even act as shelving to display collectables or dishes in a kitchen.

3. Who says doors have to be boring? From barn doors to Dutch doors and everything in between, swapping out a standard door with something more interesting will quickly add character and charm.

4. Gone are the days of grandma’s wood paneling. Today, wood paneling comes in a variety of styles and finishes, allowing you to create a one-of-a-kind space. Opt for a whitewashed finished in a sunroom for a beachy cottage feel, dark mahogany for a study, or horizontal planks for a modern twist.

5. Bring a traditionally outdoor element (slate, that is) Place irregularly shaped slate on your entryway, kitchen, mudroom, or laundry room floors for a time-tested, durable, and stylish look.

6. Wash away the worries of the day in a luxurious free-standing tub. From elegant claw-foot to a more sleek, modern design, free-standing tubs have timeless appeal that will not only improve your bubble bath experience, but add value to your home.

You know what else adds value to your home?  Well-maintained heating and cooling systems.  And yet, even if you have no plans to sell your home, it’s still a good idea to have your home comfort system professionally cleaned and inspected once a year.  And right now, just like always, Absolute Air is volunteering to do the job for you.  Give us a call, especially if it’s been a year or long since either of your systems was last maintained.